Philly drivers dealing with early pothole season, trash truck gets stuck

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- According to AAA, pothole season came earlier this year because of all of the recent snow in Philadelphia.

While local crews are attempting to keep up with street repairs, drivers are stuck with damaged cars each year.

"Your heart drops, and you just start clenching everything," said Nathan Sewell, from Woodland, New Jersey, who said he hit a pothole on the highway in Philadelphia and had to get AAA to tow his car.

A spokesperson for AAA says cars coming in for pothole repairs have been a regular occurrence.

"At least five or six a day," said Barry Cooperman, a car care manager for AAA.

Cooperman says now that the snow is melting, potholes are more prevalent out on the streets, like the one on the 4900 block of North Wilde Street in Manayunk.

Residents say the street has looked that way for weeks.

"It's been a tough ordeal," said Bryan Helyer of Manayunk.

Residents in Port Richmond say they have been dealing with multiple potholes and not having their trash picked up in weeks.

The city said they received a report of a pothole on the 2900 block of Mercer Street about three weeks ago.

In fact, a trash truck got stuck in that pothole on Thursday.

"The trash truck fell right in that hole yesterday," Donald Dixon, who lives on Mercer Street, said.

Action News reached out to the city who responded with this statement:

"The Streets Department experienced delays in collections on streets that were inaccessible due to the weather. Trash and recycling was collected on the 2900 block of Mercer on February 25. While on Mercer Street, a tire from a small Sanitation compactor vehicle became lodged in a caved-in portion of the roadway near the curb. Neighbors moved their cars, allowing for room for the vehicle to be removed without mechanical assistance. A Streets Department Highways crew is being dispatched to make sure the roadway is made safe until a more permanent solution can be made."

Even if your car doesn't get a flat tire from hitting a pothole, AAA recommends you monitor your car carefully afterward.

"You want to make sure that you pay extra attention to your alignment," said Jana Tidwell from AAA Mid-Atlantic.